Previous Verse
Next Verse

Narada Purana — Purva Bhaga, Shloka 8

The Greatness of Viṣṇu

Viṣṇor Māhātmya

अहो भाग्यमहो भाग्यं विष्णुभक्तिरतात्मनाम् । येषां मुक्तिः करस्थैव योगिनामपि दुर्लभा ॥ ८ ॥

aho bhāgyamaho bhāgyaṃ viṣṇubhaktiratātmanām | yeṣāṃ muktiḥ karasthaiva yogināmapi durlabhā || 8 ||

¡Oh dicha, oh dicha verdadera, la de aquellos cuyo ser entero se deleita en la bhakti a Viṣṇu! Pues la liberación parece reposar en la palma de su mano, aunque aun para los yoguis sea difícil de alcanzar.

ahoah! oh!
aho:
Bhāva (भाव/utterance)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootaho (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयादिबोधक अव्यय (interjection)
bhāgyamfortune
bhāgyam:
Karta (कर्ता; exclamatory subject)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया (1st/2nd case; here exclamatory nominative), एकवचनम्
ahoah!
aho:
Bhāva (भाव)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootaho (अव्यय)
Formविस्मयादिबोधक अव्यय (interjection)
bhāgyamfortune
bhāgyam:
Karta (कर्ता; exclamatory)
TypeNoun
Rootbhāgya (प्रातिपदिक)
Formनपुंसकलिङ्ग, प्रथमा/द्वितीया, एकवचनम् (repetition for emphasis)
viṣṇu-bhaktiḥdevotion to Viṣṇu
viṣṇu-bhaktiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootviṣṇu (प्रातिपदिक) + bhakti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formषष्ठी-तत्पुरुष (genitive determinative: 'of Viṣṇu'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (1st case), एकवचनम्
rata-ātmanāmof those whose minds are devoted
rata-ātmanām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootrata (प्रातिपदिक) + ātman (प्रातिपदिक)
Formकर्मधारय (descriptive: 'whose self is devoted'), पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (6th case, genitive), बहुवचनम्
yeṣāmof whom
yeṣām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootyad (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसर्वनाम, पुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचनम्
muktiḥliberation
muktiḥ:
Karta (कर्ता)
TypeNoun
Rootmukti (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा (nominative), एकवचनम्
kara-sthāin hand; readily available
kara-sthā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootkara (प्रातिपदिक) + sthā (प्रातिपदिक)
Formसप्तमी-तत्पुरुष/उपपद-तत्पुरुष (locative sense: 'in the hand'), स्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (agreeing with muktiḥ)
evaindeed; just
eva:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rooteva (अव्यय)
Formअवधारणार्थक अव्यय (particle of emphasis)
yogināmof yogis
yoginām:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/षष्ठी)
TypeNoun
Rootyogin (प्रातिपदिक)
Formपुंलिङ्ग, षष्ठी (genitive), बहुवचनम्
apieven; also
api:
Sambandha (सम्बन्ध/particle)
TypeIndeclinable
Rootapi (अव्यय)
Formसमुच्चय/अपि-कारक अव्यय (particle: 'even/also')
durlabhāhard to obtain
durlabhā:
Viśeṣaṇa (विशेषण)
TypeAdjective
Rootdurlabha (प्रातिपदिक)
Formस्त्रीलिङ्ग, प्रथमा, एकवचनम् (agreeing with muktiḥ)

Narada

Vrata: none

Primary Rasa: adbhuta (wonder)

Secondary Rasa: bhakti (devotion)

V
Vishnu
Y
Yogins
M
Mukti

FAQs

The verse exalts Vishnu-bhakti as a supreme grace: when devotion becomes the soul’s natural delight, liberation is no longer distant but immediately accessible—“as if held in one’s hand.”

It presents bhakti not merely as a practice but as deep absorption (rata-ātmanām). Such wholehearted devotion yields the fruit of moksha with ease, surpassing the difficulty often associated with austere yogic attainment.

No specific Vedanga (like Vyākaraṇa, Jyotiṣa, or Kalpa) is taught in this verse; the practical takeaway is sādhanā-priority—cultivating steady Vishnu-bhakti as the most direct means to moksha.